Jia Qinglin delivers a report on the work of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee's Standing Committee at the first session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2013. The first session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee opened in Beijing on March 3. [Xinhua]

China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin delivered a report on the work of the country's top political advisory body at the opening meeting of its annual session, which started in the Great Hall of the People Sunday afternoon.

Following are highlights of the Work Report of the Standing Committee of the 11th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, which was distributed to journalists upon the opening of the session:

BETTER CONSULTATION

-- Solid progress was made in developing the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), with more than 420 consultative activities of all kinds conducted over the past five years.

-- Democratic rights of the democratic parties and persons without party affiliation in the CPPCC were respected and ensured.

-- The central committees of the democratic parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce submitted to the CPPCC National Committee a total of 1,347 proposals, 19,992 reports on social conditions and popular sentiment, and 310 speeches to be presented at meetings.

-- The top political advisory body held 11 special meetings of the Standing Committee and special consultative meetings, carried out 509 investigations, studies and inspections, and made a large number of high-quality comments and suggestions on major economic and social issues.

CALLING FOR BALANCED GROWTH

-- The proposals about developing strategic emerging industries, carrying out urbanization and implementing a maritime strategy were incorporated into the nation's 12th Five-Year Development Plan (2011-2015) and other special plans.

-- Proposals were put forwards on developing the western region, revitalizing old industrial bases in northeast China, and supporting the central region.

-- Political advisors called for turning Hainan into an international tourist island, setting up the Western Taiwan Strait Economic Zone, the Central Plains Economic Zone, the economic zones in old revolutionary bases, the coastal economic belt in Liaoning Province, the Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone, the Beibu Bay Economic Zone in Guangxi, and the international gateway to South Asia.

-- They also proposed reducing poverty in less developed areas such as the Wuling Mountains and southwest China's Guizhou Province.

ADVOCATING ENVIRONMENT ISSUES

-- Political advisors offered advice on setting a binding target for reducing total energy consumption during the 12th Five-Year Plan period.

-- They suggested the country to compensate environment damage caused by exploitation of natural resources and to develop experimental zones for integrated reform of resource-dependent areas.

-- They advised on controlling urban air pollution, caring for forests, deepening tenure reform in collective forests, and protecting high-quality water resources in the sources of the Yangtze, the Yellow, and the Lancang rivers as well as in Hengshui and Qiandao lakes.